Ottawa police guns and gangs strategy under fire

Critics are questioning anOttawa policedecisionto takeits most visible anti-gangofficersoff the streets at a time when the capitalis on track to hit record numbersfor gun-related homicides.

The Direct Action Response Team (DART) is responsible for monitoring gang members.Theydo traffic stops and drop in unannounced on the homes of known gang members and drug dealers to ensure they're abiding by their parole and bail conditions. If conditions are broken they make arrests.

But since Dec.1,DART officers have been removed fromdoingproactivechecks on gangsters.Instead, for the past four monthsas part of a strategy to make more arrests, the six DART officers have been reassignedto a reactive role, investigating shootings.

Critics charge the move takes the heat off gang members.

It's well known to those engaging in criminal activity that [theDART]unit isn't around. Once it's not visible to them, there's a feeling thatthey're not being watched or scrutinized.- Matt Skof, OPA president

"It's well known to those engaging in criminal activity that the unit isn't around," says Ottawa Police Association president Matt Skof. He saysthe move is emboldening gang members.

"Once it's not visible to them, there's a feeling that they're not being watched or scrutinized."

Since DART officerswere moved into investigative roles last December there have been 23 shootings andfive young people havebeen shot dead. The number ofhomicides involving guns in the first three months of this year has already surpassedall of 2015.The most recent victim was 24-year-old Christina Voelzing,who was killedin thecrossfire between two shooters on Easter Sunday.

Police say the otherfour peoplegunned down MohamedNajdi,MarwanArab,Taylor Morrow-FlintandNooredinHassanhad ties to gangs or the city's low level drug trade.

DART reassignment only temporary, says inspector

Ottawa police Insp.Chris Renwick, whoisresponsible for staffing the gangs and guns unit,acknowledges there are more guns on the streetsand more disputes being settled by flying bullets, butsaysthere-assignment ofDART officers four months ago wasnecessary to deal with the backlog in unsolved shootings.

"This is only a temporary measure, but necessity dictates that we need their expertise on the investigative sidetheyhave knowledge of people and expertise in gangs and firearms. They're the logical ones to use," he said.

The transfer of DART members and officers from other units such as patrol and surveillance hasallowed the force to double the number of staffinvestigating shootings.

Since December, the bolstered guns and gangs unit has seized 17 illegal guns and charged 24 people. Renwickdoes not have a time frame for putting DART back in action, but saysarrests can be just as effective of a deterrent to gun violence as proactive strategies.

Proactive policing saves money, says U of O criminologist

That's a premise University of Ottawa Criminologist Michael Kempachallenges.

"Detection and arrestrates for crimes alreadycommitted are quite low across all police forces," saysKempa, adding thatproactivepreventative measures are also cheaper than investigative ones and should be pursued in a climate where police budgets are being cut.

Renwick says the proactive work of monitoring gang members is still being done byneighbourhood patrol officers who know where the gang members live and operate.

Skof accuses the police executive of inflating the guns and gangs unit at the expense of other divisions.

"You're going to end up with the depletion of resources from another section," he says.

Skof says the situation isn't expected to improve until next year. Although the Ottawa Police Service will hire 25 new recruits this year, they still have to be trained and won't be fully deployeduntil 2017.